I recently received a linkedin request from a “Kamlesh Chhugani” saying

Dear Bigyinn
in reference to the second passport application pack you had requested via our website: http://www.britishpassportsuk.co.uk, I am sending you a linked contact request in case you have any questions or queries regarding this request

This smells of poo to me. Should I be concerned? Either its a scam, or its genuine and someone else is applying for passport in my name.
britishpassportsuk.co.uk seems to be a little iffy going by what I found when googling it.
Or do I just ignore?

Just to add, my passport expired about 8 years ago and I haven’t renewed it.

Why would the Passport Office use Linked In requests????

Very very obviously not genuine. I wouldn’t be overly concerned myself.

But the request isn’t from the passport office, its a 3rd party who apparently do express passport renewals…..

Rules for life:

Any time a newspaper headline is phrased as a question (eg, “do bananas cause cancer?”) the answer is no.

Any time you find yourself asking “is this a scam?” the answer is yes.

Indeed, it was just because there was a mention of a passport request that concerned me.

Honestly I wouldn’t be remotely concerned – but you could always contact the Passport Office to ease your mind:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office

Seems genuine to me.

It’s not possible to obtain a “second passport” if you don’t already have a valid passport.

But why not ring them and ask if you are concerned ?

Their phone number is at the top of the webpage.

– 0207 043 2167
– 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Thanks everyone. I think I’ll contact them just to be on the safe side. Nothing to lose, but could prevent a load of hassle.

Be careful what you tell them then. You don’t want to wake up in a shipping container in some desert getting the life waterboarded out of you in the name of anti-terrorism.

Errr, ok, thanks.

The phrase “You had requested” is characteristic of Nigerians or Indians.

I don’t know what you mean, Kamlesh Chhugani sounds like a good traditional English name to me.

don’t go anywhere near it. it’s just a speculative mail. i’d be inclined to forward it to the ( actual ) passport office if possible.

I’d lob your old passport and some cash in an envelope and send it o them just to be on the safe side. Probably the Tories/terrorists/lefties anyway.

I’ve just had a look at their website. Their business model seems to be the same as the PPI reclaim companies – they act as a middle-man in a process you can readily perform yourself (and presumably skim a fat wedge of profit in the process).

And that’s assuming, of course, that the sender has anything to do with that company in the first place.

don’t go anywhere near it. it’s just a speculative mail.

Indeed.